DeLand, Fla. - The Stetson softball team (13-11) split a pair of games on Saturday in its Stetson Classic at Patricia Wilson Field, falling 4-0 to Liberty before bouncing back to beat Jackson State 6-3 in the nightcap. Senior designated player Katelyn Perna (St. Petersburg, Fla.) had a big night against JSU, going three for four with a double and her first career home run.
LIBERTY 4, STETSON 0
The Hatters had trouble solving Liberty pitcher Katrina Johnson all afternoon as the LU sophomore blanked the Hatters on four hits and three walks with four strikeouts. Sophomore catcher Jordan Cleghorn (Ball Ground, Ga.) had two hits and sophomore pitcher Camille Czarnecki (Edmonton, Alta.) hit her fifth double of the season. Liberty used solo home runs from third baseman Bridget Woods and center fielder Amber DePasquale to surge to the win. Czarnecki scattered just five hits and two walks with two strikeouts in seven innings but was tagged with the loss.
STETSON 6, JACKSON STATE 3
Perna slammed a three-run home run to dead center field in the top of the first inning off JSU pitcher LeEthel Guillory, marking the first home run of Perna's four-year Stetson career and giving the Hatters an early 3-0 lead. Sophomore starting pitcher Courtney Gunby (Bishop, Ga.) held the Lady Tigers hitless in the first two innings before freshman Meredith Owen (Jackson, Miss.) came on in relief in the bottom of the third; Owen struck out six in five innings to earn her fourth win of the season.
Although Jackson State would come back from its early deficit to tie the game in the fourth, junior shortstop Chelsey Trotto (Lantana, Fla.) would ride to the rescue with a two-out RBI double in the fifth inning to put the Hatters back ahead for good 4-3. Senior third baseman Jill Semento (Umatilla, Fla.) followed with an RBI single with freshman center fielder Chrissy Morello (Ormond Beach, Fla.) contributing an RBI single of her own in the top of the seventh. Perna followed her homer with a single and a double for a three-hit night and Morello had two hits and a stolen base as well.
Stetson will take on Jackson State again at 12 p.m. to conclude the Stetson Classic; Iowa and Liberty face off at 10 a.m. in the first game of the day. Live Stats and Hatter Vision are available at GoHatters.com.
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